Marian Dawkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marian Dawkins
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Dawkins in 2014
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Marian Ellina Stamp
13 February 1945 Hereford, England
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| Education | Queen's College, London |
| Alma mater | Somerville College, Oxford |
| Known for | Animal welfare science |
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| Institutions | University of Oxford |
| Thesis | The Mechanism of Hunting by 'Searching Image' in Birds (1970) |
| Doctoral advisor | Niko Tinbergen |
Marian Stamp Dawkins, born Marian Ellina Stamp on February 13, 1945, is a British biologist. She is a professor of ethology at the University of Oxford. Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior. Her research looks at many things, like how birds see and how animals communicate. She also studies how animals feel and how to improve their animal welfare.
Contents
Education and Early Career
Marian Dawkins went to Queen's College, London for her early education. She then studied at Somerville College, Oxford, where she earned her first degree. In 1970, she completed her PhD there. Her important doctoral research was guided by a famous scientist named Niko Tinbergen.
In 1977, Dr. Dawkins became a lecturer in zoology. This means she taught about animals. Later, in 1998, she became a full professor of animal behavior. She used to lead the Animal Behaviour Research Group. She also directed the John Krebs Field Laboratory.
Understanding Animal Welfare
Professor Dawkins has written many books and papers about animal behavior. A big part of her work focuses on animal welfare. This means making sure animals are healthy and happy. She believes that animal welfare is about how animals feel. She thinks we should see animals as beings that can feel things. She once wrote, "Animal welfare involves the subjective feelings of animals."
Studying Hens in Cages
In 1989, Dr. Dawkins did an important study. She filmed hens from above. She watched them do normal things like turning, standing, and stretching their wings. She then figured out how much space the hens needed for these actions. She compared this to the space they had in battery cages. Her study showed that these cages often stopped hens from doing many natural behaviors.
Asking Animals What They Want
In 1990, she helped write a paper about how to check animal welfare. She suggested "asking" animals what they prefer. She proposed using preference tests. For example, you could see if an animal prefers more space or social contact. She also suggested consumer demand studies. These tests show how much an animal wants something. If animals are not given things they really want, they might suffer.
Consciousness and Animal Needs
More recently, in 2012, Dr. Dawkins shared her thoughts on animal consciousness. She wondered if science can truly prove that animals are conscious. She believes that good animal welfare does not depend on proving consciousness. Instead, she thinks it's about finding out what animals need and want. She wrote about these ideas in her book Why Animals Matter: Animal Consciousness, Animal Welfare, and Human Well-being.
Some scientists, like Marc Bekoff, have disagreed with her views. He thinks she might too quickly dismiss the idea that animals have feelings like humans. Dr. Dawkins explained that her goal is to make the science of animal emotions as strong as possible. She believes this helps science move forward.
Awards and Recognition
Professor Dawkins has received several awards for her work.
- In 1991, she won a prize from the RSPCA and the British Society for Animal Protection.
- She received the Niko Tinbergen Medal in 2009.
- In 2011, she was given the Robert Fraser Gordon Medal.
In 2014, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This was for her great work in animal welfare. Also in 2014, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This honor is given to scientists who have made major contributions to knowledge.
Personal Life
Marian Stamp Dawkins was born in Hereford, England. Her parents were Arthur Maxwell Stamp and Alice Mary Stamp.
On August 19, 1967, she married another ethologist, Richard Dawkins. They were married in Ireland. They later divorced in 1984. She continues to be known by her married name, Marian Stamp Dawkins.
Selected Publications
- Animal Suffering: The Science of Animal Welfare. Chapman and Hall. 1980.
- Unravelling Animal Behaviour. Longman. 1986.
- Through Our Eyes Only?: The Search for Animal Consciousness. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1993.
- Observing Animal Behaviour: Design and Analysis of Quantitative Data. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2007.
- An Introduction to Animal Behaviour. With Aubrey Manning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2012.
- Why Animals Matter: Animal Consciousness, Animal Welfare, and Human Well-being. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Marian Dawkins para niños
